Applied Research Solutions, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Applied Research Solutions, Inc. 401(k) Plan
Arlington, VAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services806 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$5,626Employer $ per active participant
$10,288Employee $ saved per active participant
0.37%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$55.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$53,152Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity38.8 / 5078th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost8.4 / 2534th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.2 / 1562th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score63 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 78th |
| Lower admin cost | 34th |
| Employee saving | 62th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $826 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Applied Research Solutions put in about $5,626 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,082). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Direct plan expenses (0.37% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.23%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $4,534,498 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $8,292,210 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,607,041 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $174,189 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $54,883 |
| Benefits paid out | $5,124,026 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $39.5M / $55.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 776 / 836 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,052 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Cohnreznick LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Life & Annuity Insurance Co | $119,306 reported compensation |
| One Digital Investment Advisors LLC | $23,883 reported compensation |
| Cohnreznick LLP | $21,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251010151436NAL0004741091001, received 2025-10-10, EIN 13-3242455, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.